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Chris Drake Accepts Head Coaching Position at DartmouthDrake contributed to a tennis resurgence during three years in Evanston

Assistant coach Chris Drake landed his first head coaching position at Dartmouth.

June 21, 2010

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern men's tennis assistant Chris Drake, the 2009 ITA Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year, has been named the the new head coach at Dartmouth, the Ivy League school announced on Monday. Drake has spent the last three seasons on staff at NU, helping guide the Wildcats to an NCAA Tournament berth in 2009 and a No. 36 ranking in 2010 that marked the program,s highest position in the poll since 2005.

"I firmly believe that Chris Drake has been the best assistant coach in Division I men's tennis these last three seasons," said Northwestern head coach Arvid Swan. "He has made a tremendous impact on our program in every way. Chris has
really helped develop the games of all of our players and he is also a great match
coach and recruiter. He is extremely prepared for this position and I predict only
great things for him and the Dartmouth men's tennis program."

Drake, a Boston native, is making his return to the Ivy League where he
played his collegiate tennis for Brown, leading the Bears the program's first
conference title and serving for two years as team captain. He continued his playing
days on the Futures Tour, achieving ATP rankings in both singles and doubles play.

Arriving at Northwestern in Swan's inaugural year as head coach, Drake played an
integral role in NU's six-win improvement in Big Ten play from 2008 to 2009 and its
first trip to the NCAA Tournament in four years. In 2010, Drake mentored a Wildcat
team that won 10 matches, including a signature victory over No. 18 Alabama on Jan.
22.

Northwestern also shined off the courts during Drake's tenure, posting a team GPA of 3.5 in 2009 and a perfect 1.000 APR in 2008 and 2009.